WE thank everyone who has signed our petition and supported our protest against City of York Council's proposals to build 27 houses on part of Oaken Grove playing field when the school closes this summer.

Support has been phenomenal - about 1,500 signatures so far.

We are all aware how much Haxby has grown over recent years.

Housing has exploded; it has gone from a village to a town. But there has been no corresponding, co-ordinated planning to develop the support facilities needed for a community this size.

We urgently need well-thought-out, researched provision, not only for the youth of Haxby, but for the increasingly ageing population. This site must not be lost to housing developers. It would be 'urban vandalism' to allow this to happen without considering the bigger picture.

Do we have much confidence that City of York Council will respect local opinion? Well, not really, on the basis of their so called 'consultation'.

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh has responded to our call and has offered her full support. She has suggested that she presents the petition to the Department of Transport, Local Government and Regions initially, and to the House of Commons at a later date. Perhaps our faith in democracy can be restored.

Locally, a consultation meeting is planned for tomorrow, 7.30pm at Haxby Memorial Hall. We appeal to all who have supported us, or who want to support us and have their say, to come and demonstrate just how strong local feeling is.

Sonia and Robert Perkin, Mulberry Drive, Haxby.

Christine and Peter McKenna, Oaken Grove, Haxby.

Kath and Terry Jarvis, Oaken Grove, Haxby, York.

Updated: 10:26 Wednesday, February 27, 2002